Six pack with separate handle



April 12, 1966' w. M. TOLAAS SIX PACK WITH SEPARATE HANDLE Filed June 15, 1964' 3 v INVENTOR Wat/AM M 704/4145 BY 8% a TTORNEY United States Patent 3,245,579 SIX PACK WITHSEPARATE HANDLE William M. Tolaas, St. Paul, Minn.,-assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed June 15, 1964, Ser. No. 374,988 Claims. (Cl. 226-105) This invention relates to an improvement in can carriers and deals particularly with a carrier having a separate handle for, use in picking up or carrying the carrier.

Numerous forms of can carriers have been produced. One of the most successful from a commercial standpoint comprises an elongated strip of a paperboard which is transversely creased to provide a central panel. designed to overlie one end of the group of side by side cans, side panels hinged to the central panel and extending along the opposite sides of the group, and half top panels designed each to extend over the other ends of the cans of one row. Flanges are hinged to the half panels to extend between the rows of cans, and anchor flanges are hinged to the first flanges to engage the chimes of the cans. 'Tabs are provided engaging in the recessed ends of the cans in order to hold them engaged in the sleeve thus formed.

Many carriers of this 'type are provided with spaced finger apertures in one of the panel portions overlying an end-of the cans to permit the carrier to be lifted from a packing case or to permit the carrier to be readily carried. Unfortunately, however, this is not particularly a comfortable way to carry the package which would weigh better than six pounds if it contained six pints of liquid. Accordingly, in some instances an added handle is found desirable. A purpose of the present invention resides in the provision of a simple and inexpensive handle which may be inserted between the flanges which secure the carrier in tubular relation.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of-a carrier of the type described having a flexible plastic handle provided 'with two double barbed and pointed ends which may be inserted between the flanges. The barbs on the ends of the handle engage the edges of the flanges in a manner to anchor the handle securely in place.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a handle of the type described which is made of a material sufficiently rigid to flex and yet sufliciently strong to support the weight of the carrier when the handle is used.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of pairs of score lines arranged in spaced relation which act to space the flanges slightly at two spaced points. The ends of the handle are then inserted between the pairs of score lines to facilitate the insertion of the handle. If desired, certain areas between the score lines may be cut away to form an actual opening into which the ends of the handle may be inserted.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention may be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the carrier with the handle in carrying position, the handle being shown in inoperative position in dotted outline.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view through a portion of top of the container, the position of the section being indicated by the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the top of the carrier showing one end of the handle being inserted into place.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of an end of the blank showing the, arrangement of scores therein.

3,245,579 Patented Apr. 12, 1966 "ice FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 on a reduced scale, showing a modified form of construction.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the carrier is produced.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional detail through a portion of the attaching flanges.

The carrier A which is illustrated in the drawings is designed to hold six cans of equal size and which are identified by the letter B. The cans are'arranged in two side by side rows and at least the upper ends of the cans B are provided with projecting chimes 10 which encircle recessed ends 11. The carrier A is shown in FIGURE 6 as having a central panel 12 which forms the bottom of the carrier and which is hinged along parallel fold lines 13 to side wall panels 14. The side wall panels 14 are hinged along score lines 15 to top half panels 16, the width of which is substantially equal to the diameter of the cans B. Attaching flanges 17 are hinged to the top panels 16 along parallel fold lines 19. 'Anchoring flanges 20 are preferably hinged to the attaching flanges 17 along parallel fold lines 21. The anchoring flanges 20 are preferably folded along the fold lines 21 to lie outwardly of the flanges 17 and to engage the chimes 10 of the cans B. Means are provided for holding the cans contained in the sleeve thus formed. This means is disclosed as comprising tabs 22 hinged from the top panels 16 along fold lines 23 and similar tabs 24 hinged to the bottom panel 12 along fold lines 25.

Two pairs of score lines extend longitudinally of the blank across the connected flanges 17 and 20 and at right angles to the end edges of the blanks. These score lines are formed by offsetting portions of the paperboard inwardly in the usual manner. As indicated in enlarged detail in FIGURE 7 of the drawings,'when the two flanges 17 are folded into face contact and adhered together, the score lines tend to hold the areas between the score lines 26 of each pair in slightly spaced relation. Furthermore, in gluing the flanges 17 together, the areas defined by the numeral 27 in FIGURE 7 are preferably in slightly spaced relation. As a result, narrow slots are provided between the flanges 17 to accommodate the ends of the flexible handle C.

The handle C comprises a flat strip of plastic which is normally flexible and resilient. As indicated in FIGURE 2 and 3 of the drawings, each handle C includes end portions 29 similar in shape to a spear head having a pointed forward end 30 and oppositely extending barbs 31. When in use, the handle C is generally U-shaped in form including the central handle portion 32 and the ends 33 which are preferably narrower and provided with the pointed ends 29. As the ends of the handle C are inserted between the areas 27 of the flanges 17, the barbs 31 flex inwardly against the body of the handle ends 33. However, when the barbs 31 pass beyond the fold lines 21 connecting the flanges 17 to the anchoring flanges 20, the barbs spring apart and engage these folded edges. As a result, the carrier may be readily carried by the handle C.

When the handles C are inserted, they are normally forced down into inoperative position as indicated in dotted outline in FIGURE 1 of the drawings. However, when desired, the handle may be grasped and pulled upwardly into the operable position shown in full lines in this figure for lifting or carrying the carton.

In FIGURE 5 of the drawings, I disclose a slightly modified form of construction. In this form, the areas of the flanges 17a between the score lines 26a are cut away to provide openings 35 to provide the slots required. In this event, the barbs 31 engage the lower edge of the flanges 20 adjoining the apertures 35. The score lines 26 permit the areas between the score lines to hinge outwardly-tosome extentand alsoact to-hold the areas therebetween spaced where the apertures 35 are not employed.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of construction and-operation'of my carrier; and while I'have endeavored to set forth the'best embodiments thereof, I desire 'to have it understood that obvious changes may be made Within the scope of the 'following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A can carrier adapted to enclose two side by side rows'of cans and comprising:

a bottom panel,

side wall panels hinged'to opposite edges of said bottom panel,

top half panels hinged to the upper edges of said side wallpan'els,

attaching flanges hingedly connected to said top half panels and adapted to extend between the can rows,

a handle comprising a flexible plastic strip having pointed ends, oppositely extending barbs on said ends adapted to engage the lower edges of saidflanges,

said handle strip extending between said flanges at spaced points, the intermediate portion of the strip overlying the top half panels, and

said handle strip being su'fliciently longer than the distance between .said spaced points to permit the hand to be inserted beneath the center portions of said strip when the barbs engage said flanges.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said flanges are offset inwardly along parallel lines on either side of said spaced points.

3. A can carrier, adapted to enclose tWo .side by side rows of cans and comprising,

a bottom panel,

side wall panels hinged to opposite edges of said bottompanel,

top half panels hinged to the upper edges of said side wall panels attaching flanges hingedly'connected to said to'phalf panels and adapted to extend between the can rows, anchoring flanges hinged to the lower edges of said attaching flanges and folded upwardly outwardly of said attaching flanges, two pairs of score lines extending across said attaching flanges providing opposed spaced inwardly embossed opposed areas tending to hold the areas of the attach- (.2. ing'flanges between said score lines in slightly spaced relation,

a handle comprising a flexible strip of plastic of a length substantially greater than the distance between said 5 pairs of score lines, and

pointed barbed ends on said handle, I the portions of said strip adjoining said barbed ends extending between said attaching flanges in the areas between said score lines of each pair, said barbed ends being below said flanges and engageable therewith.

4. The structure of claim 3 and 'invwhich said barbed handle ends are spear shaped with a pointed end and a pair of oppositely extending barbs adjoining said pointed end.

5. A can carrier adapted to enclose two side by rows'of cans and'cornprising,

a bottom panel,

'side Wall panels hinged to opposite edges of said bottornpanels,

top half panels hinged to the upper edges of said side wall panels,

attaching flanges hingedly'connected to said top half panels and adapted to extend between the can rows,

anchoring flanges hinged to the lower edges of said attaching flanges and folded upwardly and outwardly of said attaching flanges, 1

said attaching flanges having a-pair of spaced registering apertures therethrough extending the full width thereof,

a handle comprising a flexible plastic strip having a central portion overlying said top half panels and end portions extending between said anchoring flanges in the area 'of said registering apertures, and

barbed ends on said handle strip beneath said flanges and engageable with saidanchoring. flanges upon upward movement ot'said handle.

side

References Cited by the Examiner 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1962 Cote 229-40 7/19 63 Poupiteh '20'6--65 2/19'64 Cote 206-65 

1. A CAN CARRIER ADAPTED TO ENCLOSE TWO SIDE BY SIDE ROWS OF CANS AND COMPRISING: A BOTTOM PANEL, SIDE WEALL PANELS HINGED TO OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL, TOP HALF PANELS HINGED TO THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID SIDE WALL PANELS, ATTACHING FLANGES HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID TOP HALF PANELS AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND BETWEEN THE CAN ROWS, A HANDLE COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE PLASTIC STRIP HAVING POINTED ENDS, OPPOSITELY EXTENDING BARBS ON SAID ENDS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE LOWER EDGES OF SAID FLANGES, SAID HANDLE STRIP EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FLANGES AT SPACED POINTS, THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF THE STRIP OVERLYING THE TOP HALF PANELS, AND SAID HANDLE STRIP BEING SUFFICIENTLY LONGER THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID SPACED POINTS TO PERMIT THE HAND TO BE INSERTED BENEATH THE CENTER PORTIONS OF SAID STRIP WHEN THE BARBS ENGAGE SAID FLANGES. 